Full. 10. V. 1913. 
ARCTIIDAE. Introduction. 
Bv Dr. A. Seitz. 
105 
5 th Family: Arctiidae, Tiger moths. 
In Vol. 2 I have on page 43 given a short Synopsis of this large family to which the reader may 
be referred. If we here unite the groups of Arctiinae s. s. with the Spilosominae and Micrarctiinae, all of 
which were in the Palaearctic Part separated, it is because such a division which was there only made for 
the sake of clearness, is here unnecessary, since nearly all the Indo-Australian forms belong to one and the 
same group, viz, the Spilosominae. On the other hand we unite with those mentioned in Vol. 2 p. 43, as a 
further Subgroup another, rather isolated, papuan genus containing but a few very closely allied forms, — 
namely the lovely, brillantly golden-hued, glass-winged Cocgtia; in their general appearance and habits resem¬ 
bling the Syntomids, they greatly differ in neuration; antennae long, distented close to the end, palpi 
peculiarly awl-shaped, far projecting. 
Whereas in nearly all other groups of Lepidoptera we notice in the Indo-Australian Region a tendency 
toward greater richness of markings and lavishness of colouring than are encountered in the Palaearctic 
Fauna, the reverse is the case in the Arctiidae. For here the mostly very brillant, gorgeous red or orange hues 
of the Palaearctic Tiger-moths are for the most part replaced by pale, dull, generally unieolorous whitish or 
yellowish colouring. The varied patterns of metallic green spots and bands have given way to simple dots, 
streaks or chains, and often it is only the abdomen which shows some brillant colour such as red or orange 
which in the Northern species adorns the entire wings. I say intentionally ’Northern 4 and not 'Palaearctic 
species 4 , for in America we observe the same phenomenon; the most gorgeously brillant, numerous species 
of the North American Apantesis disappear entirely as we go south, where they are replaced by the 
monotonous, white or yellow genera of Ecpantheria, Halisidota etc. Still this disappearance of brillant colours 
is not quite so sudden in America, on account of the greater number of species of Arctiidae found in the 
South of that Continent. 
We have already previously laid stress upon the fact that the venation which in other lepidopterous 
families is a pretty good means of distinction, cannot be at all relied upon in the Arctiinae as a means of 
classification. In certain more difficult cases the peculiarities of neuration may prove to be some help, but 
as I have said, this method must be resorted to with great reserve, if one would avoid the most impossible 
results. Thus already v. Linstow has shown that f. i. the neuration of certain species of Spilosoma bears the 
greatest resemblance to that of Lymantria monacha, which proves that in the Arctiidae it is not sufficiently 
characteristic. Hampson, whose classical unsurpassable Work will for years to come be the indispensable guide 
for every Lepidopterologist, was for that same reason obliged to unite in one Genus Diacrisia not less than 
30 genera until then in use. Also in the Indo-Australian Region where the Arctiinae play a more subordinate 
part than in the North, the same method may be adopted, since the greater part of species belong to the 
closely allied genera Spilosoma and Spilarctia. Thus wishing to avoid to unnecessarily diverge from the 
more prominent recent scientific Works, we have here adopted Hampson’s Genus Diacrisia , whereas in the 
Palaearctic Part we could not agree to uniting into one genus f. i. Diacrisia sannio with Lacydes spectabilis, 
Rliyparia purpurea etc., keeping for that reason the old genera. 
To-day one considers the Group of Arctiidae on the whole to be much more closely allied to the 
Noctuidae, especially the Acronictinae, than had been formerly the case. To place them after the Noctuklae 
and Geometridae as is done in Staudinger-Rebel’s Catalogue, seemed, however, impossible to us. 
X 
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